“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
It’s not the most original statement, but for baseball fans, especially those of middle-of-the-road teams, there are few times of the year that hold as much excitement as the months leading up to spring training.
Hope is alive (even for my Orioles) and everyone is on (somewhat) even footing. Teams like the Padres and Royals have the ability to become headline news-makers, even if it’s just for a day, and teams like the Brewers and Blue Jays can give the Yankees and Red Sox a run for their money in terms of “offseason rankings.”
It’s the time of the year when you’re favorite team is just one or two trades away from contending, or rebuilding.
It’s already been a busy season, with high-profile players like Mark Reynolds, Adrian Gonzalez and Dan Uggla already traded and settling into new homes, and for all we know, that’s just the beginning. Kansas City’s Zack Greinke, Minnesota’s Francisco Liriano and Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder all could be on the road fairly soon.
So, without further ado, let’s examine what exactly it is that each team should be looking for, who’s left in terms of “tradeable” talent and check out what kind of prospect chips each team has to play with.
Starting with the American League.